An Act to Amend Act No. 1396

March 31, 1908

ACT NO. 1816

AN ACT TO AMEND ACT NUMBERED THIRTEEN HUNDRED AND NINETY-SIX, ENTITLED "THE SPECIAL PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT ACT," SO AS TO AUTHORIZE COURTS OF JUSTICES OF THE PEACE IN THE PROVINCES OF BENGUET, LEPANTO-BONTOC, NUEVA VIZCAYA, AND AGUSAN TO TRY VIOLATIONS OF TOWNSHIP ORDINANCES AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE FEES OF JUSTICES OF THE PEACE IN SUCH CASES SHALL BE PAYABLE FROM TOWNSHIP FUNDS

SECTION 1. Section twenty-two of Act Numbered Thirteen hundred and ninety-six, entitled "The Special Provincial Government Act," is hereby amended so as to read as follows:

"SEC. 22. The provincial governor, the provincial secretary, the provincial treasurer, the provincial supervisor, and the deputy clerk of the Court of First Instance for the province are hereby made justices of the peace, Ex Officio, with jurisdiction throughout the province. All fees collected in the province by any provincial officer or deputy clerk of the Court of First Instance as Ex Officio justice of the peace shall be accounted for to the provincial treasurer and turned into the provincial treasury. Courts of justices of the peace may, upon recommendation of the provincial board and with the approval of the Secretary of Finance and Justice, be established in townships organized under the Township Government Act, Numbered Thirteen hundred and ninety-seven, in like manner and with like powers, jurisdiction, and duties as courts of justices of the peace in municipalities organized under Act Numbered Eighty-two, entitled "The Municipal Code:' Provided, However, That in the Provinces of Benguet, Lepanto-Bontoc, Nueva Vizcaya, and Agusan the jurisdiction of courts of justices of the peace in prosecutions for infractions of township ordinances shall be concurrent with that of township courts as provided by subsection (g) of section eighteen of the Township Government Act: And provided further, That the fees of justices of the peace in such prosecutions shall be payable from township funds, the provisions of section twenty-seven of Act Numbered Sixteen hundred and twenty-seven to the contrary notwithstanding. The existing courts of justices of the peace in provinces organized under this Act are hereby recognized and continued and the justice of such courts shall continue in office during the pleasure of the Philippine Commission, and the establishment of such courts and the appointment of such justices are hereby validated." cDSAEI

SECTION 2. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on its passage.

ENACTED, March 31, 1908.